New TOTV site coming soon!

[TOTV Specialist]

New technological advancements are introduced to us so often that it can be difficult to keep track. This includes the quickly changing technology online. As things change across the internet, everyone on the Talk of The Villages team is eager to maintain regular updates. It's also a necessity to update software as advances progress otherwise websites/apps will not function on new devices. We've gone from an iphone 4 to 11 and what once worked on an iphone 4 may not on an 11. The iphone launched in 2007 and TOTV was established in 2006!

As one of the largest and most established websites in The Villages, we are excited to announce an improved TOTV site with a new look and feel that will provide users with a modern feel and better functionality! This new site will be launched within a few days, and in anticipation for the new site, we have included a sneak peak of what to expect. If you have not visited our new home page for the website you can see it in action here and it will also give you a sneak peak at what to expect in terms of the look, feel, and navigation!

Click on the link below to get a sneak peek on what to expect in terms of the look, feel, and navigation. This is our "new" home page for the website:
The Villages, Florida | 55+ Active Adult Retirement Community Website (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/)

In addition, we are including some screenshots to give users a better idea of what to expect.

We understand some users may prefer the old format, which is why we will include the option for users to keep it. However, as we move to the new site, the old format will not be supported. This means that information will be susceptible to be lost.

Thanks to everyone on TOTV for all of the support over the years! None of this would be possible without you!

[Two Bills]

OMG Change!!:ohdear:

[Velvet]

Nice! The new version is more vibrant, contemporary, colorful. I like it.

[dewilson58]

Looks like a new cover page which resorts back to the same old format for threads.




:popcorn:

[smurphy]

Do you have a target date for when the change will take effect?

[Bucco]

Well done in advance

[TOTV Specialist]

Looks like a new cover page which resorts back to the same old format for threads.




:popcorn:

The link posted leads to a test version. As a result, if you click on the page to explore threads it will automatically go back to the old format.

Just wait for the site to go live :)

[TOTV Specialist]

Do you have a target date for when the change will take effect?

The change is expected to occur within the next few days.

[Bay Kid]

Change, very scary. Love The Villages lifeline.

[Bay Kid]

Will we still have the option of "new post"?

[Sunflower1]

Looks great. Wish you would get an app!

[Tkbonesdir]

Looks like a new cover page which resorts back to the same old format for threads.

:popcorn:

Don't you just love it when people don't Read before they spit out negativity....

It Reads...
"This new site will be launched within a few days, and in anticipation for the new site, we have included a sneak peak of what to expect."

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[dewilson58]

Don't you just love it when people don't Read before they spit out negativity....

It Reads...
"This new site will be launched within a few days, and in anticipation for the new site, we have included a sneak peak of what to expect."

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!




So far so good..................no negativity on this thread.

[JoelJohnson]

Well, one thing I hope they change is the font size when I position the cursor over the subject line of a post. It's so small I almost need a magnifying glass to read it.

[dewilson58]

Well, one thing I hope they change is the font size when I position the cursor over the subject line of a post. It's so small I almost need a magnifying glass to read it.




You can adjust the font size.

[Chi-Town]

A useful mobile app would be a boost to viewership.

[JimJohnson]

Looks great.

[Nucky]

What does post #17 say? :1rotfl::1rotfl: :):1rotfl::1rotfl:

The new look will be different but great. My Barber heard it from the guy who cuts his lawns cousin.

[MSchad]

Unfortunately the new site this morning makes it virtually unusable on iPhone 7 Plus. Ads covering posts, post previews won’t collapse thus hiding other posts. Thankfully there was the ‘revert to old website’ option.

[Spoiler]

Unfortunately the new site this morning makes it virtually unusable on iPhone 7 Plus. Ads covering posts, post previews won’t collapse thus hiding other posts. Tnsnkfully there was the ‘revert to old website’ option.

7 plus user here also with same problem...

(Hmmm, may have to dig out my old bag phone to see if that works any better...)

[oldtimes]

No better on Android or IPad.

[Madelaine Amee]

I guess I am a creature of habit. New version in my in box this morning and I reverted back to the old version.

[ColdNoMore]

I guess I am a creature of habit. New version in my in box this morning and I reverted back to the old version.

Ditto. :thumbup:


While I am far from being adverse to change, the "new look"...does nothing for me. :shrug:

[Bogie Shooter]

Where is old version option icon?

[Bay Kid]

I hate change, but I enjoy TOTV every morning. I will learn to love the new format.

[dewilson58]

Did we lose the button to return to the top of the page??

[ColdNoMore]

Where is old version option icon?

At the bottom of the page.

[Kerry Azz]

change is good, but I liked the old site better

[dewilson58]

Did we lose the "Today's Posts" option???

[MSchad]

Did we lose the "Today's Posts" option???

It was a link at the very top by my name.

[PoolBrews]

Sadly, the forum still looks like it was designed with 20 year old software. It looks like all that was done was to use the same code in a frame on the new site. The old site didn't look much better, but it was easier to navigate.

[Madelaine Amee]

Personally, I thought the new layout was kind of a mess, too much "stuff" all over the page, too much empty white space. Keep it short and simple and with the menu along the top. "If it 'aint broke etc. etc."

For those looking for the revert button, as Cold mentioned, you need to scroll down a bit and you will see a line asking if you want to revert back to the old layout.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The new version is laid out more like a bulletin. The old version is laid out like an actual forum.

Since I like reading the forum, AND I like reading bulletins, I'll stick with the forum version of ToTV. And when I want to read a bulletin I'll find an actual one and read that.

[MSchad]

The new version is laid out more like a bulletin. The old version is laid out like an actual forum.

Since I like reading the forum, AND I like reading bulletins, I'll stick with the forum version of ToTV. And when I want to read a bulletin I'll find an actual one and read that.
Do not like the ads showings in each reply and trying to read the actual reply text wrapping around them.

[Carla B]

The new version has a lot of promotional material - some of us who've been around here for years just want to sign in and go directly to "New Posts." Don't need to know about moving to The Villages, etc. For now, I'll stick to the old format.

[villagetinker]

The banner at the top shows the temperature as 79 degrees, at 10:14 on 1/5/2020, it is actually MUCH colder!!

[bob47]

The old format is much better. Much easier to navigate. Much more information available at a glance.

[petsetc]

Another vote for the "old" format. I heavily use tabs in Firefox, and besides too much white space, hovering over to open a thread in a tab produces a HUGE and obnoxious info box that lingers.

I agree that the new look is just the old/proven look without anything being better.

If it ain't broke...don't fix it.

And lastly, I know that once the powers-that-be determine change is necessary, I will (have to) adapt. Oh Well!!!

[Big O]

It's just different. Only 10 minutes to find my way around.

[billethkid]

I look forward to change when the result is better, more efficient, better organized, improves ease of participation, etc.

I find none of this in the new format. I find the pages to be too busy having to sort non pertinent activity to get to threads.

Hence I too have reverted back to the old format.

[Two Bills]

Not all that difficult to navigate.
I just found the change, a bit 'too busy' for my liking.
Will stay with old format until it goes.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Really like the new format! :bigbow::bigbow:

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Do not like the ads showings in each reply and trying to read the actual reply text wrapping around them.

I use an ad blocker and see no ads at all.

[CFrance]

New technological advancements are introduced to us so often that it can be difficult to keep track. This includes the quickly changing technology online. As things change across the internet, everyone on the Talk of The Villages team is eager to maintain regular updates. It's also a necessity to update software as advances progress otherwise websites/apps will not function on new devices. We've gone from an iphone 4 to 11 and what once worked on an iphone 4 may not on an 11. The iphone launched in 2007 and TOTV was established in 2006!

As one of the largest and most established websites in The Villages, we are excited to announce an improved TOTV site with a new look and feel that will provide users with a modern feel and better functionality! This new site will be launched within a few days, and in anticipation for the new site, we have included a sneak peak of what to expect. If you have not visited our new home page for the website you can see it in action here and it will also give you a sneak peak at what to expect in terms of the look, feel, and navigation!

Click on the link below to get a sneak peek on what to expect in terms of the look, feel, and navigation. This is our "new" home page for the website:
The Villages, Florida | 55+ Active Adult Retirement Community Website (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/)

In addition, we are including some screenshots to give users a better idea of what to expect.

We understand some users may prefer the old format, which is why we will include the option for users to keep it. However, as we move to the new site, the old format will not be supported. This means that information will be susceptible to be lost.

Thanks to everyone on TOTV for all of the support over the years! None of this would be possible without you!
Too garish. Hurts my eyes. How old is your web designer???

[CFrance]

The new version is laid out more like a bulletin. The old version is laid out like an actual forum.

Since I like reading the forum, AND I like reading bulletins, I'll stick with the forum version of ToTV. And when I want to read a bulletin I'll find an actual one and read that.
I thought the same thing and said so in another thread they started. It looks like the old message board style.


And I agree with Madelaine Amee, there's too much stuff all over the place. It looks junky.

[dewilson58]

Too garish. Hurts my eyes. How old is your web designer???




They don't have web designers.................ToTV just uses a site designed by another company.

[CFrance]

They don't have web designers.................ToTV just uses a site designed by another company.
That other company must have a 20-something, multi-tasker web designer...

[xkeowner]

Old version is much quicker to navigate through therefore better for me. If forced to the new version exclusively may have to rethink where to get all of the negative opinions on the various subjects posted. Maybe back to face-to-face over breakfast????

[dewilson58]

Old version is much quicker to navigate through therefore better for me. If forced to the new version exclusively may have to rethink where to get all of the negative opinions on the various subjects posted. Maybe back to face-to-face over breakfast????




:bigbow:

[dewilson58]

It was a link at the very top by my name.






Nope.

[Carla B]

I'm with the others on "too much white" on the new site. The glare hurts my eyes. Too much space between posts, just want to read the new posts and get on with the day. I hope you didn't pay the new guy too much.

[Dan9871]

Please keep the old site running permanently. The new one is just too tedious to navigate because of all the extraneous text and, in general, seems poorly thought out in terms of usability. For example, it's almost impossible to click the "go to next unread button".

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

OKAY! I've had time to check out the new incarnation. I made my browser as narrow as possible, in an effort to consider how it might look as an app on a phone. If the app displays any other way than what I'm seeing with my google chrome browser, my suggestions might not apply.

Having the "most recent" up on top and highlighted is perfect, EXCEPT that menu bar needs to be just tiny bit lower, because a mouse click or finger tap could end up hitting the button above it by mistake, they're too close together.

1. When I narrow the browser, I see the title of the new post, and the name of the most recent poster and date - but no category. I feel the date should be moved to the title of the new post, and the category (or at least the first column inch of it) remain visible, and the column for date/member be eliminated. This is when the browser is narrowed - the full version would still display as always.

2. Skins. Forum developers and frequent forum users would recognize the term. We need a selection, user-side, that we can choose from. Some of us are fine with dark text on white background. Some might prefer light on dark, and I guess some would like funky color schemes and layouts. It would be nice to have a few different skins for users to choose from.

3. Ditch the "home" button since the "Talk of The Villages" banner at the top is already a clickable command button. And that command button would always bring the user back to the home page. I prefer this on all websites, not just the ToTV forum.

4. After each "section" of the forum, I would like to see a "top of page" command button. That way anyone who is finished looking at category "q" can easily get back to the top without having to scroll up.

5. For the category window, I would like to see just ONE line with the category title - and if you mouse over it, or click that category, or touch your screen on that line, you see a description of that category. This way you will see a complete list, much easier on a cell phone, instead of having to scroll endlessly through paragraphs of every single category and subcategory to find the category of interest to you.

In all, I feel the tweaks you made since I first saw it, have improved the look and feel significantly. I like it.

[billethkid]

Please keep the old site running permanently. The new one is just too tedious to navigate because of all the extraneous text and, in general, seems poorly thought out in terms of usability. For example, it's almost impossible to click the "go to next unread button".

That red stripe at the top of the page (old site) lets you know the new one is in your future, like it or not.

Hopefully those responsible will heed the criticisms being offered.

[Chi-Town]

Not as good as Tapatalk but better than before. Need to think mobile app. Its 2020.

[TOTV Team]

Hello All Users -

We appreciate all the feedback on the new format and have noticed multiple threads started. We created one official thread for feedback on the changes to better organize the input.

What is helpful is specific feedback for example: The weather at the top of the website is not functioning correctly and is the wrong temperature. These types of specific feedback allows us to make an actual change that can make the website better much like what was posted here.

Here is a link to the new discussion:
New Forum Suggestions Thread

We will close all the other discussions so we can keep these consolidated and organized.

Thanks in advance for all the feedback and support!

TOTV Team